Mourners pay tribute to former Mayor Rob Ford

CITY HALL [Peter Paul Media] — Hundreds of people holding placards, pens and other mementos lined up Tuesday to pay their respects to the late mayor and city councillor Rob Ford, who died exactly one week ago at the age of 46.

Draped in the flag of Toronto and accompanied by an honour guard of four Toronto police officers, mourners filed past the casket of Mr. Ford at the main floor rotunda for the second consecutive day.

His brother Doug greeted Torontonians near the casket as additional mourners paused to review flowers and a collage of pictures from Rob’s short but storied life. Mourners paused and took pictures of the display before exiting the rotunda, some with tears in their eyes and others simply shaking their heads.

Streams of mourners lined up into the evening, right up until the doors were closed at 9:30 p.m., according to CP24 reporter Cristina Tenaglia in a Twitter update.

Ford revealed his cancer diagnosis in September 2014 and doctors said at the time that the tumour, located in his abdomen, must have been recent because it failed to show up on a scan in 2011, CTV News reported.

The late mayor passed away on March 22, just one day after his family revealed in a statement that he was in palliative care. Ford’s death came during his second bout with cancer, the first time of which he had been declared cancer free after numerous chemo treatments.

A procession from City Hall is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. and will travel to St. James Cathedral for a funeral service. There are several road closures expected during the service, including on King, Adelaide and Church streets, police said.

Robert Bruce Ford served as Mayor of Toronto between 2011 and 2014 and before that, as city councillor for ten years. He is survived by his spouse Renata and two younger children.

An honour guard of Toronto police officers guard Rob Ford’s casket on March 29, 2016. Photo credit: Peter Paul

An honour guard of Toronto police officers guard Rob Ford’s casket on March 29, 2016. Photo credit: Peter Paul

Mourners file past Rob Ford’s casket on March 29, 2016, at Toronto City Hall’s main rotunda. Photo credit: Peter Paul

An honour guard of Toronto police officers guard Rob Ford’s casket on March 29, 2016. Photo credit: Peter Paul

Mourners file past Rob Ford’s casket on March 29, 2016, at Toronto City Hall’s main rotunda. Photo credit: Peter Paul

An honour guard of Toronto police officers guard Rob Ford’s casket on March 29, 2016. Photo credit: Peter Paul

An honour guard of Toronto police officers guard Rob Ford’s casket on March 29, 2016. Photo credit: Peter Paul

An honour guard of Toronto police officers guard Rob Ford’s casket on March 29, 2016. Photo credit: Peter Paul

An honour guard of Toronto police officers guard Rob Ford’s casket on March 29, 2016. Photo credit: Peter Paul

Mourners file past Rob Ford’s casket on March 29, 2016, at Toronto City Hall’s main rotunda. Photo credit: Peter Paul

Mourners file past Rob Ford’s casket on March 29, 2016, at Toronto City Hall’s main rotunda. Photo credit: Peter Paul

Mourners file past Rob Ford’s casket on March 29, 2016, at Toronto City Hall’s main rotunda. Photo credit: Peter Paul

Mourners wait in line to see Rob Ford’s casket at City Hall on March 29, 2016. Photo credit: Peter Paul

Rob Ford’s casket is seen on March 29, 2016, at Toronto City Hall’s main rotunda. Photo credit: Peter Paul

Mourners wait outside to pay respect to Rob Ford outside the south section of City Hall on March 29, 2016. Photo credit: Peter Paul

Rob Ford’s casket is seen on March 29, 2016, at Toronto City Hall’s main rotunda. Photo credit: Peter Paul